Belt retaining device for vacuum cleaners



Feb. 28, 1939. s GASNER 2,149,138

BELT RETAINING DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed March 11, 1958 ATTORNEYSPatented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES BELT RETAINING DEVICE FOR VACUUMCLEANERS Sigmund Gasner, New

Hygienic Dust Bag York, N. Y., assignor to Corporation, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 11,

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a belt retaining device for vacuum cleaners.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide novel means forretaining a belt of a vacuum 5 cleaner in an accessible position so thatthe belt can be readily and safely remounted when it slips off the motorshaft.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for maintainingthe belt of a vacuum cleaner in a certain twisted position whenever thebelt accidentally slips off the motor shaft so that the belt can beremounted in its proper twisted form upon the motor shaft.

Another object of my invention is to provide a retaining device whichwill prevent the belt from becoming entangled with the brush or anyother moving part of the vacuum cleaner when the belt slips off themotor shaft.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the followingdescription and drawing which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof,it being understood that the above general statement of the objects ofmy invention is intended merely to generally explain the same and not tolimit it in any manner.

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the housing of a vacuum cleanerillustrating my invention, the nozzle being shown partially broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the motor housingbeing shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevational view, similar to Fig. 1, showingthe belt resting on the retaining device after the belt has slipped offthe motor shaft.

Fig. 4 is a partial front View showing the belt being remounted upon themotor shaft.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the vacuum cleaner may be of any suitable typeand generally comprises a nozzle casing l and a motor housing M.

The rear inner wall of the nozzle casing I0 is designated by thereference numeral II. There is an opening l2 located in the front wallof the nozzle casing affording limited access to the interior thereof.The opening I2 may be closed by a removable cap member l3 of usualconstruction.

A driving or motor shaft l4 having a head I is located within the nozzlecasing l0. Likewise, there is located within said nozzle casing a brushshaft it having a brush I! mounted thereon. A pulley I8 is mounted uponthe brush shaft [6 1938, Serial No. 195,220

and said brush shaft [6 is driven by means of a belt l9 which is drivenby the motor shaft M.

It will be noted that the driven brush shaft I6 rotates in a plane whichis perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the driving shaft l4. Hencethe belt l9 must necessarily be twisted for the transmission of power.

My invention is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The retaining deviceconsists of two brackets 20 and 2!, one end of each being secured to theinner wall ll of the casing nozzle II] by means of screws 20 and 2|respectively. The brackets may be of metal or any other suitablematerial. The free ends of each of the brackets 29 and 2| are bentinwardly to form hook-like head portions as clearly shown in thedrawing.

As shown in Fig. 5, the base portions of the brackets 2!] and 2| are inalignment and the hook shape portions may abut each other, but this isnot absolutely essential.

It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2, that the belt I9 is in a twistedposition. The significance of this is that ordinarily if the vacuumcleaner were not provided with my novel retaining means, the belt wouldfall onto the brush shaft and become entangled with the brush. The userin attempting to remount the belt would have to fumble about beforelocating the same through the small opening in the front wall of thenozzle casing and then there would be no assurance that the belt couldbe remounted in its proper original twisted position. If the positionwas incorrect, the belt would immediately fly off the motor shaft andthe user would have to repeat this cumbersome operation until the beltwas properly remounted.

My invention overcomes the foregoing difficulties and assures theremounting of the belt in its proper twisted position upon the motorshaft. For example, if the belt l9 accidentally slips off the motorshaft M, the belt will fall in a resting position upon the brackets 20and 2| as clearly shown in Fig. 3. It is impossible for the belt tobecome untwisted and the user may safely and easily remount the belt l9upon the motor shaft I4 by slipping a tool T under the belt l9 throughthe opening [2 and raising the belt upon the motor shaft. It will benoted that the portion of the belt [9 which is encompassed by the hookedend of the bracket 20 cannot be moved to the left in restoring the beltto its operating position. Thus the position of the hooks effectivelyprevents an improper engagement between the belt l9 and the drivingshaft [4. Conversely, the bracket 2| has a similar effect.

I claim:

In combination with a twisted belt for vacuum cleaners, means havinghooked head portions through which spaced parts of said belt freely run,said means being adapted to catch said belt when ever said belt slipsoff the shaft of the driving means and to prevent said belt frombecoming untwisted.

SIGMUND GASNER.

